My Kingdom Hearts
by Mistic Monk
Summary: [KH2&FFX] What if a girl from our world landed at the very beginning of Kingdom Hearts 2? What if she journeyed with Sora and the others? What if she was destined to help Sora defeat Darkness, for good? Will she ever return home?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, FFX, or any of its characters. I only own Rachel, my character. Oh, by the way, there are a few spoilers in here, just to let you know.

**Chapter One**

I stared at the TV with a mask of concentration, mashing buttons on my PS2 controller, trying to beat the last few bosses in the Kingdom Hearts 2 game. "Damn it, this is too hard! I may need to go to other worlds and level some!" I was so close to beating this game, it's not even funny! But at this rate, I will have no choice BUT to go level some, and complete a few more side quests. Joy.

I was in my room, sitting on my bed indian style. One glance around the room and you can instantly tell what my favorite color was. Blue. Also, I'm a big anime fan; my walls are covered with anime posters! I was also a Final Fantasy fan, and Auron from FFX is my favorite character! Have a few posters of him, too. Also one with Axel, from Kingdom Hearts 2, he rocks. What is it with my and people with something red? Auron has a red coat, Axel has red hair. Talk about weird, no?

Oh, I never introduced myself, have I? My name is Rachel, I'm eighteen years old, I have very short, brownish red hair. When I mean short hair, I mean REALLY short. Think the hair style is called pixie cut or something... I also have a small braid hanging by my right ear that reaches my shoulder (Think Yuna from FFX).

I have dark, blue eyes. I mean really dark, like ocean dark. I'm at average height, around 5'3". I'm pretty average; besides the stupid freaky birthmark I have right smack dab in the middle of my forehead! It's like a twelve point star, and its white (If you've seen the Last Unicorn, kinda looks like that). Doctors couldn't figure out why it was such an odd shape, but oh well. I sometimes wear a bandana to cover it up, but not usually. I think it's neat, it's the only part I really like about me. Oh yeah, where was I? Oh, the game!

I was at Saix at the moments, but he was so bloody hard to beat! I mean, sheesh! He has this ugly attack, Beserk, that nearly kills me each time he uses it! At this rate, I'll end up dying, and I'll have to go and level at the other worlds. As I'm playing, trying to beat this guy, I get the strangest feeling suddenly. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and I feel like someone is watching me. And you know what? IT WAS CREEPING ME OUT!

I paused the game, whirling around to look about my room. But... no one is there. Maybe I was just feeling things? I shrugged, and turned back to the game, un-pausing it. This battle was long, and hard, and I was getting frustrated, and fast.

_Chosen One._

Eh? I paused the game, listening intently. It didn't seem to be coming from the game, but I'm pretty sure it was. I mean, it had to be, where else could it come from? I went back to my game, only getting a few wacks in until I heard it again:

_Chosen One._

What the fuck? I paused the game, AGAIN. Am I hearing things or something? It had to be coming from the game. Maybe Saix was taunting Sora about being the 'Chosen One' of the keyblade? But the tone didn't sound like mocking, it sounded... Almost pleading like. Weird. Brushing it off again, I was about to unpause my game when...

_Chosen One._

"What on earth!" I leaped from my bed, whirling around to look around my room, but I'm not seeing anyone there. Now I know something, though. The voice that kept saying 'Chosen One' was NOT coming from the game. I felt goosebumps starting to rise on my skin, and I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep myself calm. There's got to be a logical explanation for this. I know! I've been playing Kingdom Hearts 2 so much that it's messing with my brain cells! Yeah, that's it!

I switched my game off, not caring if I was in the middle of a boss battle or not. I saved before then, and I could return and level some a bit later. Right now, I need to go outside, and stay away from this game for a few hours. I guess playing too many games it bad for you.

I pushed the door open that lead from my bedroom, heading down the steps to reach the 1st floor. I heard noises from the kitchen, clanking of pots or pans. Hm, Grandma must be getting ready to cook dinner. I paused at the front door, turning my head to glance over my shoulder. "I'm going for a walk, Grandma! I'll be back in a bit, I need some fresh air."

"It's about time you came out of your room. Try to be home in about an hour, honey. Dinner will be ready by then!" My Grandma's voice drifted in from the kitchen, the sounds of clanking pots and water in the background.

"No prob! I'll be back by then!" I pushed open the front door and strode outside, squinting from the sunlight. It was maybe around 5 in the afternoon, so the sun was still pretty high in the sky, in my opinion. It's summer here, and it usually doesn't get dark until like... 10ish.

I stretched my arms above my head, walking towards the forest that was at our backyard. I love going for walks in there, it was always so peaceful and everything. Of course, later on I would be mentally kicking myself for going into the woods, but I won't get into that quite yet.

I noticed something was a little off in the woods today, but I brushed it off. I wanted to forget that creepy like 'Chosen One' incident. It was quieter in the woods then it normally was, but maybe I scared off the animals. But they were always so chattery and stuff even if I was in the woods, so I couldn't understand it.

WOOF!

Gaaaah! What the heck? Oh, must be a stray dog wandering around the woods. That's probably why the animals are quiet today. Still, Stray Dogs+MeNo mix. I am a bit scared of dogs I don't know, because I was attacked a few years ago by a mean, nasty Chow. Evil thing is still out to get me. I paused in a small clearing, listening intently for the dog. Suddenly, I heard a pattering of feet behind me, running towards me. Shit! I whirled around, just in time to get tackled by a large, yellowish dog.

SLUUUURP!

Ewwwww! It's slobbering all over my face, licking me to death. Ok, that's a plus, at least it wasn't attacking me with its teeth. I laughed slightly, shoving the dog off of me and sitting up, whipping my face.

"Ewww, you didn't have to go slobbering all over me, you silly thing!" As I turned to look at the dog I nearly fell over from shock. What on EARTH! The dog... I stared at it in surprise. It looked so much like Pluto, Mickey Mouse's dog, that it scared me! Heck, it could be Pluto itself!

The Pluto alike was just sitting there, wagging his little, black, stringy tail. I glanced at the tag, seeing the name Pluto blaring at me in the glinting light. "Oh dear lord... You ARE Pluto, aren't you?" I stood to my feet, lightly patting Pluto on the head, which he seemed to enjoy. He barked in response to my question. 'This just can't be a coincidence... Argh, I'm so confused." Suddenly, Pluto's ears perked up, and he turned and ran north, barking as he went.

"H-Hey, wait a second, come back!" I started to take a few steps in the direction where Pluto was heading, but suddenly, a strange feeling came over me. Like... Something was going to happen.

"Hey, where you going, Chosen One?" I gasped sharply, whirling around and searching for the bearer of the voice. That voice seemed so familiar... Suddenly, a black portal like thing opened, and a figure in black stepped out, and the portal disappeared behind him. Uh-oh, that guy was wearing Organization XIII robes. This could be... really bad.

"Uh... Who are you?" Ok, not the smartest thing to really ask, but I can't tell who's who when they have their stupid hood up! I decided to ignore that Chosen One crap for now, until I figure out who this guy is, and if he's a real threat to me.

"Aw, I'm hurt, Chosen. Aren't you supposed to know everything?" He threw his arms in the air to emphasize his point. Wait, I think I know this guy... But is it really him?

"...Demyx?" I said the name hesitantly, and the name felt sort of... odd when I said it. In a way, I had hoping this was Axel, but in a way, I'd be glad if he wasn't.

"Oooooh, so you do know my name! I'm flattered! Guess you really are the Chosen One." He pushed his hood back so his face was revealed. I nearly jerked in surprise. He looked... I dunno, more sexy in person then in the game.

WOOOAH! Back up on that thought. I. cannot, crush. on. him. Demyx was here for a reason, and it must have to do with the 'Chosen One' stuff I've been hearing about. I have a feeling he was here to take me to the Organization, willingly or not.

"What are you doing here in this world, and what do you want, Demyx!" I took a few steps back, my body tensed up. I had to be ready, if things were going to get ugly; I'm going to run like no tomorrow from this guy!

"Well, don't you know? I'm here to take you to the Organization, Chosen One. I got these orders to nab you from this world, and take you to the leader." Demyx started to wave his hands as he spoke to me. He's a very expressive guy. "Of course, I told them they were sending the wrong guy, but they never listen... You're a very important key to our plan. If you help us, willingly, after everything is done, we'll let you come back here, no strings attached! So how about it, Chosen One?"

I stared at him. And stared... And stared some more. They want to use me, as part of their plan, so they can get hearts and finally be complete! No, I can't do this! I think Demyx is cool and all, but this is something I can't do. I can't help them! How can I even help them? Why do they need a normal girl like me? Probably thinking that I am this... Chosen One they are searching for.

"...There is no way I'm going to help the Organization! Forget it!" I turned tail and ran in the direction Pluto went, hearing the man cursing behind me. Why was I trying to follow Pluto? Well, he may lead me to the King, or even Riku, so Pluto is my best chance in surviving! I just hope he didn't get too far!

I heard something behind me as I was running, and I turned my head to glance behind me. My eyes widened with fear. Crap! Dusks were flying after me, and they were catching up quickly! Stupid Nobodies! I'm doomed if I didn't find Pluto! There were at least five of them on my tail.

I pushed myself to run faster, and slowly, but surely, the Dusks were now at a distance, but they were still too close for comfort! I was panting hard; my legs were beginning to feel like jelly. I can't keep this up forever! I stumbled onto a large clearing, stopping my run and leaning over, struggling to pull in a breath.

WOOF!

Pluto! I looked up, grinning wildly when I saw him sitting there, looking at me. "Pluto!" I ran over to him, collapsing on my knees and hugging him around his neck. I've never been so happy to see someone in my life! I heard his panting breath suddenly turn into a growl, which caused me to look up and look around.

Oh... dear... lord... We were surrounded! While I was hugging Pluto, in my glee, I totally forgot I was being followed! Five Dusks were around us, cutting off any means of escaping. This did not look good, at all. Funny thing was, they were just standing there, as if just making sure I didn't move. Oh no, they were waiting for Demyx to show up! Eeek! I had to get away.

I suddenly heard a sharp whistle fill the air, and Pluto's ears perked up again. Wait, I know that whistle, I heard it in the game a few times! Suddenly, a dark portal opened near by us. Barking like mad, Pluto ran towards it and jumped through, disappearing into the darkness. It must be Riku!

"W-Wait! I got up and started to run towards the portal, but suddenly something grabbed my arm, trying to pull my back. Whirling around, I saw that is was Demyx, and he was trying to prevent me into going into the portal.

"Let GO!" I turned and sent him a kick right in his stomach, which caused him to let go of me and double over. I ran towards the portal, ducking underneath a Dusk that tried to grab me as I went by. I made a frantic leap for the portal and entered the portal.

With a grunt of surprise I hit the ground, having the wind knocked out of me. I made a mad scramble to get away from the portal, but I noticed it already closed. With a sigh of relief I slowly stood to my feet, looking around.

It looked exactly how it was in the game, the Realm of Darkness. You know how Kairi followed Pluto and entered the dark place? Yeah, looked exactly like that. Except it was... I dunno, creepier. I was safe, for now. I looked around for Pluto, but I didn't find Pluto first, I found... Someone else.

He was standing a distance away from me, wearing the Organization coat. I jerked back in surprise, stepping back nervously. I couldn't tell if this was someone I could trust or not! Hearing a bark behind me I quickly turned to watch Pluto fly by me and towards the dude in black. Pluto stopped right next to him, and the figure reached down and gave Pluto a few good pats.

This must be Riku... Ansem... Whatever. To me, he was Riku. "Uh... You're... Riku, right?" I asked him, hesitantly. I wanted to be sure it was Riku, but I'm sure I could trust Pluto, he's a pretty smart dog. The figure only nodded, and then gestured behind me. With a curious glance towards Riku, I turned around to look behind me, just in time to see another black portal appear.

"Uh... You want me to go through that...? Wait, can't I ask you a few questions first- WOAH!" While I had my back turned on Riku and was staring at the portal, he must have came up behind me and pushed me! Little jerk... Anyways, I went flying head first through the portal and soon met a brick covered ground, and I had the wind knocked out of me. AGAIN!

Gasping a few times, and cursing Riku at the same time, I stumbled to my feet and looked around. My eyes widened with surprise, and I fell to my knees. Oh... my... god... T-This is... Twilight Town! I'm at the Train Station! It looks exactly how it was in the game... This is impossible, I got to be dreaming! At first, I didn't think this was a dream, 'cause everything was happening so fast, but its got to be!

First things first, I pinched myself in the arm. Hard. I winced, rubbing my arm and frowning softly. That hurt, and since it hurt, I can't be dreaming... Argh, how did all of this happen! It started out as a normal day, until I heard that creepy voice, calling me the 'Chosen One'! I pounded the ground with my fist, growling with frustration. I need answers, and I need them, now!

"Uhh... You ok...?" I heard a voice call out from behind me. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I was too upset to place it at the moment.

"No, I'm not ok! My day has absolutely sucked! First, some guy in a black coat tries to kidnap me and force me to help him and some others do something, I've been chased by Nobodies, and I have no idea how I came to this world in the first place!" I started to pant slightly after my tirade, my head slumping forward. Then, I felt kind of... bad for yelling at whoever asked if I was ok, so, I need to apologize.

I forced myself to my feet, composed myself and turned to look towards whoever spoke to me. "I'm sorry I yelled, it's just been... A really rough day." Then, I jerked in surprise, taking a step back and staring. Oh my god. Standing before me, was Sora, Donald Duck, and Goofy! By the state of Sora's clothes, this must be in the very beginning of the game.

"You were nearly kidnapped?" At first, I almost couldn't understand what Donald was saying, but I guess I will have to get used to his voice.

"Are you going to be alright, Miss?" Ok, did Goofy just called me 'miss'? I never thought he would ever call me 'miss' but I guess I can deal with that for now...

"Yes, I was nearly kidnapped. I think I'll be alright... If I can find out what world I'm in." I already knew what world I was in, but I have to play dumb. Who knows, maybe they'll let me hang with them for a bit.

"Heh, we don't even know what world this is ourselves. Why don't you hang with us for a while? Maybe we can find some answers." Sora grinned widely when he said this. Hah, it's like he really DOES want me to hang with them. "Oh, I'm Sora by the way! This is Donald and Goofy. It's nice to meet ya!" He gestured towards himself and to Donald and Goofy when he said this, which caused me to grin.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Sora, Donald, and Goofy. My name is Rachel, and it would be really great to hang around with you guys! So, uh... What are you doing here, anyways?" I said all of this with an enthusiastic tone, smiling at them. Ok, remember Rachel, play dumb here.

"Well, we just sorta woke up in this here world, and we're trying to find the King!" Goofy said this with a...well... goofy smile on his face.

"King? Who's the King?" I took on this innocent, totally clueless tone, but I knew who it was.

"His name is King Mickey! We've been trying to find him for a long time, but it seems he's found us first!" Donald said simply, tapping his foot irritably. I don't think he liked the idea of me coming, but oh well! He'll have to deal with it.

"Yeah, Pence said the King was around here somewhere, waiting for us. I just... uh... don't see him anywhere." Sora looked around, as if expecting the King to pop up suddenly.

"Well, let's go look for your King and get some answers!" I grinned, holding a thumbs up. Of course, the moment I said this, trouble appeared. Suddenly, a Dusk came up from the ground right in front of us, and others landed around us.

"Crap! These are the things that attacked me!" We backed up until Sora, Donald, Goofy and I made this circle, eyeing the Dusks carefully. Thing is, I can't fight without a weapon! And guess what? I DON'T HAVE ONE! "Uhm... This could be, really, really bad." As I said this, more Dusks appeared!

Dang it, this sucks! I need to play damsel in distress, because I have no weapon! Sheesh, this sucks! Then, suddenly, a light shot out of no where and started to circle my waist at a rapid pace. "What the!" I stared down at the swirling light, and the other three saw this happening and looked at me funny.

Then, as soon as the light appeared, it disappeared. But when it left, it left something behind, something I had needed really, really badly. A katana! The sheath was decorated black with a silver wolf running around it, and the handle of the katana was simply silver. It was tied around my waist with a black cord. With a wide grin I pulled the sword from its sheath and got into a fighting stance.

"You sure you can use that thing?" Donald eyed the katana with distaste. I smirked at him, which made him look taken aback.

"Nope, I have no idea how to wield it. No time like the present to learn, eh?" I may have sounded all confident and stuff, but inside, I was terrified. This was going to be my first battle, and I had no idea how this would turn out. Suddenly, the Dusks started to step forward, signaling the beginning of my first battle.

I charged towards a Dusk in front of me, and I remembered the technique that Roxas used against them. Reversal or something like that. I think I better try it! As I charged forward I did just that, I tried it. I swerved around the Dusk, causing it to look around in confusing. Haha, sucker! I slashed it with my katana several times, knocking it forward with each swing, and sent it flying with my last swing, which it promptly smacked into the building.

Ok, so far, so good. I'm starting to get the hang of this weapon. The first few swings were pretty awkward, but I think I'll get better with time. I decided to not focus on one until I killed it, it would be a waste of time, instead, I went to attack another one near by.

I heard yells of Donald as he casted thunder spells, Goofy's startled yelps, and Sora grunting whenever he got hit. This could be really bad, but I knew the king would save us! I hope... I just kept hacking and slashing, struggling to dodge attacks that came my way. I yelped when something slammed into my back, causing me to fly forward and land with a loud thud, my katana skidding a few feet away from me. I turned to see a Dusk looming over me. Aw crap!

"Look out!" I covered my head as Sora came running to the rescue, slashing to Dusk far away from me.

"Thanks, Sora!" He gave me a cheeky grin before returning to the battle. Boys... I better be careful, or I'll have to deflate Sora's ego! I quickly grabbed my sword off the ground and returned to the fray. The fighting continued for what seemed like forever, and I was getting tired pretty fast. Other different kinds of Nobodies appeared and just kept after us. I know they're after Sora for one, but I also know that they're probably after me...

When it seemed like we finally beat the Nobodies back, more appeared. I was backed up against Sora, Donald and Goofy were right there, too! All of us were pretty exhausted, and it seemed like this was going to be the end. I collapsed right next to Goofy, groaning from exhaustion. Donald and Sora were not too far behind. It all seemed hopeless. Until...

Suddenly, King Mickey dropped in from no where, leaped around and attacked the Dusks, destroying each one with a single blow with his keyblade! Yeah! Go Mickey! After he finished destroying them, he stood and looked around, probably making sure there was no more. I shakily stood to my feet, and Sora looked at the King with disbelief. To my amusement, Donald and Goofy leaped onto Sora, trying to get a better look at the King.

"Your Majesty?" Donald asked with a questioning tone. Probably wanted to make sure he was the real thing. Goofy and Donald had such a look on their face I couldn't help but crack up.

"Shh!" The King gestured for us to keep quiet. He probably thought the Organization was around, listening in. "You gotta board the train and leave town! The train knows the way. Sora, Donald, Goofy? Take Rachel, the Chosen One, with you." He gestured towards me, which caused me to jerk back in surprise. He called me 'Chosen One' too! What the heck! And he also knew my name! Was he listening in earlier? "Here, Sora." He handed Sora a bag with munny in it. Donald and Goofy looked at me, and then looked at Sora, who was holding the money. Donald noticed the King running off.

"Your majesty..." Donald took a few steps after him, reaching out with his hand, as if wanting to stop him.

"The King... Was that really him?" Sora questioned Donald, as if he couldn't believe he finally met the King in person.

"It could have been... Yep, I know it was!" Goofy stated, sounding really happy to have seen the King, even if it was for a short amount of time. I just kind of... Stood in the background, watching them interact.

"Now we know he's okay!" Donald looked like he was about to bubble over with happiness, it was pretty darn funny. This was also pretty interesting to watch actually happen. I mean, sure, I've seen this in the game, but it was nothing compared to seeing it in real life!

"The King was locked in the realm of darkness, right?" Sora asked, his arms crossed over his chest. He had a pondering look on his face. Goofy made a 'Uh-huh' sound, to agree with what Sora was saying. "But...we just saw him..."

"Yep!" Donald, of course.

"And if the King is here, that means Riku's here!" He suddenly seemed to perk up, smiling widely. I quickly bit my lip to say anything. I was going to say something like 'Sorry to burst your bubble, Sora, but Riku's not here!' but that wouldn't go over really well.

"He's gotta be!" Stated Donald.

"Well, I'm going to go look for Riku. Then he and I can go back to the islands together. Kairi's there waiting for us!" Sora really wanted to go home, by the looks of it. Then again, he's been gone for at least a year, or more.

Suddenly, I thought about my home. Will I ever see my Grandparent's again? My friends, my pets, my enemies? Will I ever be able to sleep in my bed? Will I...ever get home? I must have had a sad look on my face, because when I looked up, everyone was looking at me. "...What?"

"Are you ok, Rachel? You had a really sad look on your face!" Goofy looked a little worried for me, which caused me to smile, a little.

"I was thinking of home. I was wondering if... I would ever see my home or family again." I looked away and towards the sunset. It was beautiful, don't get me wrong. But it wasn't like the sunsets at home...

"Aw, don't worry, we'll stick with you until we find you a way home!" What the, was that Donald talking to me? Sounded like him. Ok, who was this new duck, and where did he take the real Donald? I smiled gratefully towards them.

"Thanks." I said simply, a grin working on my face.

"So let's stick together for one more journey." Sora nodded his head towards us, and we all nodded in return.

Something in Donald's head must have clicked, because he suddenly whirled around and pointed in my direction. "Wait a minute! Didn't the King call you Chosen One!" I jumped back in surprise, seeing the shocked look on his face. His eyes traveled up and landed on my forehead, and he gasped in surprise. I think it was a gasp, but anyways...

"The Chosen One? Isn't that the legend about the girl that's supposed to help the wielder of the Keyblade and seal darkness away forever?" Goofy turned a puzzled look towards Donald, and then looked at me. Uh, ok, if Goofy knows about this Chosen One stuff, then it must be important.

"You know... Your King wasn't the only one that called me Chosen One... The guy that tried to kidnap me earlier called me that too! What makes me the Chosen One anyways?" Donald and Goofy's jaws dropped open, gawking at me in surprise.

"You mean you don't know! The mark on your forehead is the mark of the Chosen! The Chosen is supposedly to have that mark when they are born! Also, they say that you have a special power, but it needs to be unlocked! She is supposed to know the future, too!" Donald was absolutely raving mad now; he was waving his arms around like a maniac as he was talking.

"And the fact that someone tried to kidnap you, they must know about your power and wanted to use it for themselves! It's a good thing you ended up with us!" Goofy stated, looking a little worried, but glad that I ended up with them.

Ok, so what I am getting so far... My birthmark is supposed to be the mark of the Chosen One, and that I had to help the wielder of the keyblade, Sora, to seal away darkness forever? And the Organization is after my power? Oooook... Major freaky, but it helped me understand why they were after me. I really don't think I'm the Chosen One, but still...

"Uh, so, she's supposed to help me fight against the darkness and seal it away, for good?" Sora stated, and looked a little doubtful. Heeey, if he doubting me?

"Hey, are you saying I can't help you?" I pointed towards him, one hand on my hip, staring at him.

"No, I'm not saying that at all! It's just, I dunno, odd that you appeared here, and not when I first started my journey." Ok, he had a point there. Ok, let's think of something...

"Well, perhaps I wasn't needed quite yet, Sora. Maybe it wasn't the time." That's it; I'm dropping the clueless girl act. Right now. "And besides, you looked like you guys could take Ansem out just fine without me!" That made a few outbursts Sora and Goofy, but Donald seemed to understand.

"So you DO know about us? Did you see us fighting with your power?" Uhhh how should I answer Donald? Well, I'll give them all the partial truth.

"No, I didn't see you fighting with any powers. You see, there's this.. Very popular book where I come from, called 'Kingdom Hearts,' and I've read it, a dozen times." I saw looks of surprise when I said the title, but I continued anyways. "It talked all about your adventures, so that's how I know. Sorry for not telling you the truth earlier, but I couldn't just come out and say: 'Heeey, I know you guys! Your Sora, the wielder of the keyblade, the Captain of the Royal Guard, and the Court's Magician! Howdy!'"

I then noticed they were all staring at me in surprise. I was already expecting that, so I simply just stood there, waiting for questions to hit me.

"So, uh... Then, is there another book about us?" Goofy questioned, looking at me curiously.

I nodded. "Yes, I've read most of the second book, called 'Kingdom Hearts 2' and this is... well, I can't say anymore, I've probably upset the balance already. So can I just... come with you guys on your adventure, and help you out the best I can?" I questioned nervously. I really hoped they wouldn't ask me anything else; I already let them know too much!

"Sure, why not? You can stick with us! So, uh... where we going again?" Sora said, looking over at Donald and Goofy again.

"We hafta board the train!" Goofy stated, nodding his head towards the Train Station.

"Oh yeah." Sora nodded, as if he already knew that. Donald sighed with frustration, which made me giggle.

"C'mon!" Sora grinned and took off running to the station.

"Hey! Wait up, Sora!" I yelled after him as I took off running, Donald and Goofy right behind me. We entered the station, and I stopped and looked towards the train. It looked cooler in real life. Suddenly, a voice called out.

"Wait up!" I turned to look as well as Sora, and saw Hayner running to catch up with us. There was also Olette, and Pence too! They were alright, I guess. At least they were never annoying in the game.

"Hey, Sora... Huh? Who's this?" Hayner looked at me, Pence and Olette also looked towards me. I felt remarkably like a bug under a microscope.

"This is Rachel, a new friend of ours. So what's up?" Sora grinned towards Hayner and the others.

"Nothing, but..." Hayner started, but he seemed to trail off.

"We came to see you off. It just seemed like something we oughta do." Pence finished for Hayner. They seemed to be pretty honest about that. I always wondered if maybe... They really did know Roxas at one point, but I wasn't sure.

"Oh... really? Thanks!" Sora smiled towards them. I think he was really grateful to them for coming. The train in the background suddenly whistled, which caused me to turn and look towards it.

"You should hurry and get your tickets." Olette stated, gesturing towards the ticket booth.

"Right!" Sora and I said it at once, and the both of us stared at each other funny. Oops. Gotta stop doing that. With a shrug Sora headed towards the booth, searching his pocket for the bag of munny the King gave him earlier and pulled it out. Olette made an odd sound and was staring at the bag. Hehe, she recognized it.

"What is it?" Donald asked her.

Olette reached into her pocket and drew out a munny bag, and they looked exactly alike. I already knew this, so I wandered towards the train, waiting for them to finish up.

"Four tickets, please!" Sora, of course.

I stayed by the train, tuning out what Sora and the others were saying for a while, and was lost in my thoughts. My thoughts kept turning to home, but I needed to think of something else. Like, about my future. Will I be able to help them succeed in the journey? What if I only hurt their cause? What if I make it worse? Dang it, I'm so confused, it's not even funny!

Frustrated, I walked away from the train in search of chests that I saw in the game guide a while ago. So, in my jolly search for chests, I've come up with some items: a Hi-Potion, a Tent, and a Mythril Shard. Having no place to put these, I simply carried them back with me and held them out to Goofy, so he can take it.

"Wow Rachel, you sure did find a lot of stuff!" I laughed at Goofy, grinning slightly. He took the stuff and stored them away. Where, I had NO idea. I glanced around the area again, and I realized something. No save point.

So, if any of us... died, there was no reset button. No return to where you saved at. You can't be reckless. So, I had to be careful, from now on. I listened Sora talk to Hayner and the others for a bit. Finally, Sora came up to us.

"Okay, let's go!" Sora said, and all of us nodded. I dunno about the others, but I want to hurry up and go. Donald and Goofy went on first, and I followed them into the train. I sat down a bit of a distance from Goofy and Donald, staring out the window. Sora stood outside for a bit, talking to Hayner.

"Right, seeya!" Sora quickly boarded the train, but looked back at Hayner and the gang. Like he was saying goodbye forever. I knew we would come back, of course, but he didn't. He held his hand up to the others, saying one last goodbye.

Finally, the train started to pull out of the station. Finally, my adventure was just starting! Or maybe it already has? Wait, where have I heard that before? Haha, I know I've heard that from somewhere. Sora was till leaning against the door, looking a little sad. He was staring at the munny bag, before pulling out the crystal.

"You know..." He started, gaining everyone's attention, including mine. "I'm sad." I decided to withhold a sarcastic remark, not wanting to make enemies so soon.

"We'll be back." Donald stated, trying to cheer Sora up.

"Yeah. We can visit Hayner and those guys again." Goofy said with a wide smile.

"Don't worry, Sora. We'll see them again, maybe sooner then you think!" I grinned widely towards him. No need for him to stay down in the dumps like this. I know some of the feelings were coming from Roxas, so I know that's one of the main reasons why he is sad.

Sora smiled and nodded toward us. Suddenly, the outside just went white, the light shining through the windows, causing us to all look up. Then, I saw the stars. Oh, the stars... They were so beautiful. I leaped to my feet, staring out the window, trying to locate any familiar constellations. The train was moving a little too fast to pinpoint anything, so I guess I'll have to wait until we stop at Yen Sid's place. Even then I won't have that much time.

Anyway, I had a feeling this adventure I was going to go on will take a lot more time in real life then in the game. In total, I played 30 hours of the game and got almost to the end. It could take weeks, months, and possible a year. So, I won't see home for a while. Gah, stop thinking of home, no need to be sad!

This is my story. My Kingdom Hearts.

A/N: Like it? Hate it? This is my first REAL story folks. I hope you liked it. Sorry if it was confusing, I don't think I'm the best writer, but I don't think I'm too bad. Anyways, try not to flame please. Also, before anyone says it's a Mary-Sue, its not! A Mary-Sue, in my opinion, is someone who is perfect in everyway, while Rachel, as you can see, is not. Anyways, 17 pages! Wow, not bad for a first chappie, eh? Please review, it will make my world go round!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimor: I don't own KH2 or FFX. If I did, Axel wouldn't die, and Auron would be alive! I only own Rachel, my character.

**Chapter Two**

I must have fallen asleep at some point, because when I came to, I was curled up on a seat in the train, using my arm as a pillow. I still had my eyes closed, and I was planning on keeping it that way! I was tired, my body was sore, and I was feeling a little cranky. Most of all, I let myself down. You see, I kept thinking to myself that this was all a dream, and that I would wake up sooner or later. But here I was, on the train still.

You know how sometimes you're like half asleep, half awake? That's where I was now. I was only aware of my surroundings a little bit, and sleep was winning out. Of course, I shoulda known better then to let myself fall asleep again. I felt hands grab my shoulders, shaking my lightly.

"Rachel, wake up! The train stopped." I forced my eyes open, looking up groggily at Goofy, who had woken me up.

"Ugh... Ok, I'm up." I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Goofy laughed at me, grabbing my wrist and pulling me to my feet. I let myself be dragged from the train and saw Sora and Donald were already outside. They must have told Goofy to wake me up.

I looked up towards the askew tower, noting how much taller it seemed in real life then the game. Wow, much taller then in the game! I noticed a large person in front of the tower doors. I knew instantly it was Pete. Blaaah, stupid, fat lard... I turned to look behind me, seeing the train disappear before my very eyes.

"Ah shoot. Man, there goes our ride!" I pouted angrily where the train once stood, but I knew it was no use crying over spilled milk. So, time to get some items, and talk to Donald and Goofy before we go and confront Pete!

I walked over to Donald. "So, uh... Any idea where we are?"

"Well... We got on the train and came like the King told us to do. I'm not sure where this place is, but there's something strange about it." Donald said, looking around nervously.

"Guess we just need to explore and find out I suppose..." I walked away from Donald after saying this, to go talk to Goofy. Before I could say anything though, he did instead!

"Someone's at the entrance of the building. Adventure rule # 17: Collect Information!" I blinked, and stared at Goofy.

"Uhhh, ok... I'll do just that!" I grinned at Goofy, before running off to grab an item or two. I only got a chance to open two chests, and all they had was a Potion and Hi-Potion. The other chest was opened, so Sora must have grabbed it already. I stored the Hi-Potion in my pocket, before walking over and handing the Potion off to Sora.

"Thank's Rachel! So, any idea what this place is?" Sora gladly accepted the Potion and stored it away.

"Kinda reminds me of a Sorcerers tower, but that's all I can really say. Hey, how about we talk to that large chap by the doors? Maybe he knows what this place is!" I only hinted at who was living in the tower. A little hint now and then won't ruin the story... Will it? Besides, if I want the story to move along, we got to talk to Pete. So, all of us walked to the steps of the tower, pausing at the bottom.

"What's goin' on?" Donald asked, looking pretty curious. Pete chuckled underneath his breath.

"I sent some of my lackeys inside to see if the master of this here tower's as big and tough as they say. Word is, he's a real powerful sorcerer." I glanced over at Sora, realizing he was staring at me. Hmm, maybe the sorcerer hint was not a good idea after all.

Pete continued on talking. "Which would make him the perfect bodyguard for me. See, it don't matter how tough he is—once he's a Heartless, he'll do what I say." Everyone jumped in surprise, well, besides me, but I acted surprise.

"A Heartless?" Donald looked pretty ticked off, and even a bit surprised. Guess they all thought they got rid of the Heartless for good. Wrong-o! Anyway, I got into a fighting stance and placed my hand on the hilt of my sword, ready to draw it out at any time.

"That's right. They're those things that come outta the darkness in folks' hearts. Why, with all those heartless at her side, my dear friend Maleficent is gonna conquer everything!" Pete still had his backed turned to us the entire time, so he had no bloody idea who he was talking too. It's also kind of funny that he thought Maleficent was still alive. Sora, Donald, Goofy and I looked at each other before looking back at Pete.

"And since I got me a debt to pay, I'm goin' 'round to a bunch of different worlds and buildin' an army of Heartless, special for her." He must have realized he was blabbing his entire plan to us at that point, because the conversation changed. "Why am I talkin' to you pipsqueaks anyway? Go on, scram! I'm behind schedule as it is." I huffed, glaring at Pete's back. We're not pipsqueaks! Jerk... He'll get his someday.

"You oughta find somethin' nicer to do." Goofy stated. So then Pete turned around to look at us.

"Says who?" Suddenly, a look of surprise crossed his face. "Wha...AAAH! It's you!" Yep, he recognized Donald and Goofy, of course, the two of them also recognized him.

"Pete!"

"What are you two nimrods doin' here!" Pete pointed at them with an accusing look on his face.

"What are YOU doing here?" Donald glared at Pete, the look on Donald's face was absolutely priceless, and I almost cracked up.

"You know him?" Sora asked, looking over at Goofy for confirmation. Goofy nodded towards Sora, a grim look on his face.

"We sure do! Pete's been causin' trouble for ages! His majesty banished him to another dimension a long time ago. I wonder how he escaped." Pete looked like he was shaking with rage, but then he suddenly started laughing, which caused me to jump back. Eek! His laugh was so creepy and stupid it made me want to die.

"You wanna know how, eh? Well, Maleficent busted me out, that's how!"

"Hmm, seems like that witch is always causing some sort of trouble..." I stated softly, but Pete either didn't hear me or ignored me, so he continued on with his rant.

"And now your world—no, no, no, all the worlds—are gonna belong to yours truly. Cause Maleficent's gonna help me conquer 'em!"

"Maleficent...huh." Sora started, looking at Donald, Goofy, and myself. All of them started laughing at once, and I started laughing myself. Haha, gosh, Pete was dense, wasn't he?

"What are you laughing at!" Pete glared at us, looking positively fumed. "Why, Maleficent's power is so great—"

"She's toast." Sora said, grinning slightly. A loud 'HUH' came from Pete, and he just kinda stared at us.

"Sorry, Maleficent can't help ya now." Goofy said after he finished laughing.

"Whaddaya mean!" asked Pete, looking really confused, and almost, I dunno, fearful. Donald snickered, and Pete looked really ticked off. "You! So you're the ones that did it!"

"Yep! These three right here-" I gestured towards Sora and the others. "These three creamed her, a loooong time ago. So she's not around anymore! Sorry, looks like you're out of a job!" I grinned widely towards Pete, and he suddenly growled.

"Heartless Squad! Round up!" Uh-oh, I think I made Pete mad. Ooops. My bad! Suddenly, Heartless appeared from the ground, so everyone pulled out their weapons. I drew my sword out and got into a balanced stance. My first fight against Heartless, joy. But I know if I'm traveling with these guys, I'm going to be fighting all the time.

With that, I lunged forward and started slashing and hacking at the Heartless. This fight was probably going to be easier then the battle against the Nobodies, so that was good.

My swings were still off and awkward, and I stumbled a few times during the fight. The fight didn't last long with the four of us; we destroyed the Heartless pretty fast! I didn't make it out of the battle unscathed, though. I had a few claw marks on my legs, my jeans were ripped and my shirt torn a little from trying to dodge a Heartless. I'll need more suitable clothes, that's for sure.

Pete growled and stomped his foot. "You just wait! Nobody, and I do mean nobody, messes with the mighty Pete!"

"Phhhft, 'mighty'?" I leaned over, laughing at Pete. Haha, mighty Pete? Really, the only thing that is mighty about him is his weight!

"Grrr, who asked you, girly! Why I outta—huh?" Pete stopped what he was saying and stared at my forehead. "Eh? That mark, I'm sure I've seen it before..." Uh-oh, Pete recognized this mark? Greeeeeat, if he tells Maleficent about me, I'll have two different groups of bad guys after me! I just love my life, don't you?

"So, 'mighty' Pete, who lives in this tower anyway?" Sora, at that moment, I could've kissed you for interrupting Pete's train of thought. He might forget about the mark altogether, and not tell Maleficent! It seemed to work, cause Pete started to chuckle.

"Oh, ya don't know, eh? Well, it's old Yen Sid. 'Course, he's probably a Heartless by now!" Pete looked pretty proud of himself for knowing something we didn't. Donald looked stared at Pete with shock.

"Master Yin Sid lives here!" Donald took off towards the tower, pushing the already partially open door so he could get through.

"Hey, Donald, wait up!" I ran after Donald, I didn't want him to be alone. What if things changed and there was Heartless right there as he entered! He may be a great magician, but even he will need help! Sora and Goofy didn't stay outside long and followed us inside. Haha, I almost felt sorry for Pete, we just up and left him.

I looked around the room and noticed a few more chests here. Quickly opening them I got some items we may need. An Ether for Donald and another Mythril Shard that could come in handy. Handing the Ether and the Shard to Donald I searched my pocket for the Hi-Potion. My leg was really throbbing from the stupid claw marks that the Heartless gave me.

I quickly sat down and opened the bottle, pouring some of the contents on my fingers and spreading it on the marks. The liquid felt cool against my skin, and brought much needed relief from the pain. Right before my eyes, the wounds closed up and fading away, leaving newly healed skin. Since I didn't use up all of the Hi-Potion I corked it back up and placed it in my pocket. Again, I noticed there was no save point.

The beginning I wouldn't have cared, but what about later on? The boss battles will be getting harder, even though in the game I only died in the game a grand total of three times, this journey will be dangerous. I didn't have any further time to think because I noticed Sora and the other two run up the stairs.

"Gaaah, wait up!" I quickly ran up the stairs after them, not wanting to be left behind, not even for a moment. I ran through the bluish glowing portal after them, and we ended up on another spiraling stair case. Yay, stairs. And we have to fight on them, too!

"Uhh, just a suggestion you three, but you better get your weapons out. Pete said he sent Heartless in here, so it's best to be prepared." I already had drawn my sword out, knowing that we will be attacked.

"Good idea, Rachel." Sora nodded to me and got his keyblade out, Donald and Goofy brought their weapons out too. As we started our run up the stairs, we were attacked by a few Heartless. Just four of them were there, so each of us took on a Heartless. After slashing the Heartless a few times I sent it flying at my last swing and it disappeared. Cool, I killed it! I did a little victory dance, which caused Goofy, Donald, and Sora to laugh at me.

I grinned widely and headed up the stairs, the others following behind. I came up to a blue door and I pushed it open, stepping inside. We barely got inside before a bunch of Heartless appeared, and I noticed the door we needed to go through had a shield from preventing us going further. So, we need to kill the Heartless to pass!

So, after fighting a few waves of Heartless, we finally defeated them all, and the shield faded away. Sora was limping a little, a Heartless got him in the leg, so I pulled out the potion I had and applied it to his leg. He grinned gratefully, and helped apply the rest of the potion on a gash on Donald's arm. I got a few scratches and bruises, but none of them needed medical attention, so we continued on.

Another staircase, more Heartless appeared, and we fought them until we destroyed them all. It was getting to be a pattern. Go somewhere, get attacked by Heartless, and destroy them. Oh look! Another door! We're almost there! I grinned and pushed the door open and went flying inside, the three stooges behind me. Another room of Heartless. Attack, destroy, barrier fades.

The battles were getting a little easier for us to handle, little by little. I became a little better with my sword and being more aware of my surroundings. Sora was improving on his speed, Donald was aiming better with his spells (He hit me once with his Thunder spell. Boy, did that hurt!), and Goofy was hitting harder with his shield.

"Heartless, Heartless, Heartless! Thing's haven't changed one bit!" Donald complained after we finished clearing out the second room, and he was fuming.

"Well, it's a good thing we're on the job, then!" Goofy said, nodding his head.

"So the worlds aren't at peace after all?" Sora asked, looking slightly depressed. He tried to perk up a bit, and he turned to me. "You're getting pretty good at fighting! Soon, you'll be as good as me!"

I laughed and grinned widely. I'm glad he noticed I was getting better, made me feel good about my skills. "Thanks Sora, but I doubt I'll be as good as you. After all, you've been fighting Heartless longer then I have!"

"Aw, don't worry, you'll gain more experience soon enough, Rachel!" I smiled at Donald. He wasn't so bad after all.

"Thanks." With a grin I turned to the new door and pushed it open. After stepping out, I looked up; smiling when I realized this was the last staircase. Finally! Just another battle and we'll be at Yen Sid's! Then I can ask him about this Chosen One stuff and if I can go home. We ran up the steps and were attacked by the final group of Heartless, and we quickly took care of them.

Nervously, I pushed the door open and stepped inside. After Donald and Goofy entered the immediately ran over to where Yen Sid was sitting and both stood up straighter. I glanced at Sora as we headed over to stand by Goofy and Donald. Goofy and Donald bowed really low, and Sora stared at them with confusion, and then looked at me. I simply shrugged.

Sora and I finally noticed Yen Sid sitting there. He looked a little bit older then in the game, but not that much. He was still in blue wizard robes, so nothing really had changed. Yen Sid nodded towards Donald and Goofy.

"Master Yen Sid! It's an honor!" Donald said, his voice low and his head bowed. What's so great about this old geezer anyways that made them bow like that?

"Hey there!" Sora said, raising his hand in greeting. Donald and Goofy looked up at him and to me.

"Sora, Rachel! Show some respect!" Uhh... Why should I? He didn't seem to care at all that we weren't bowing, or he'd fry us on the spot.

Yen Sid gestured with his hand to calm Donald down before turning to look at Sora and I. Eeek, maybe we did make him mad? "So, you are Sora and Rachel. Now then, have you seen the King yet?"

"Yes we did, Master. But we didn't get a chance to talk to him." Goofy answered Yen Sid in a very polite tone, trying to show him respect.

"Yes...the King has been quite busy of late." Uh, no duh, Yen Sid. He's a King, he's probably always busy! "Therefore, it would seem that the task of instructing you four falls upon my shoulders." Uh, wait, did he say four? Didn't he mean three? Darn it, am I stuck here! I want to go home! Grrrr...

Yen Sid continued his talk, despite my inner protesting. "You have a perilous journey ahead of you. You must be well prepared."

"You mean...we have to go on another quest?" Questioned Sora. "I was looking forward to finding my friend Riku, so we could go back to the islands." Sorry, Sora, that won't be happening for a long time. Poor guy, he hasn't seem his home in a long time. And here I am complaining about not going home, when I've only been away from home for a few hours!

"Yes. I know. However, everything in your journey, Sora, is connected. Whether you will find your way home to the islands... Whether you return alone or with your friend... And, whether or not the islands will still be there. And the key that connects them all is you, Sora." Wow, Yen Sid likes to talk a lot, or maybe he was really trying to pass wisdom through all of that chit-chat.

"I'm...the key?" Sora gestured himself, and then held his hand out, the Keyblade appearing in his hand.

"Chosen wielder of the Keyblade! You are the key that will open the door to light." Sora nodded towards Yen Sid, and then Yen Sid turned to look at me. Eeek! "And of course, we must not forget the Chosen One, the one that will help you open the door to the light, and seal away darkness forever!" Oh joy, no pressure there. I guess... I won't be going home for a while, either. So, I nodded towards Yen Sid, understanding that, believe it or not, I have a job to do.

Yen Sid looked at all of us with a calculating expression, Donald and Goofy stood straighter. Suddenly, Yen Sid made a gesture with his hand, and a book appeared. "This book contains valuable knowledge you will need for your journey. Study it carefully." The book rested on the desk in front of Sora.

Yen Sid smiled slightly. "Once you have finished, we will speak of the enemies you will surely confront." I really didn't want to read the book, but I know it would be disrespectful if I didn't, so, Sora picked up the book and I walked over to him, intending to read over his shoulder. He and I both agreed we would read it.

To me, it was a bunch of mumbo jumbo, a bunch of riddles and advice. Again, I didn't really see the point, and I don't think Sora did either. After we finished, Sora decided to ask Yen Sid a few questions.

"But wait a sec—how come the Heartless are still running around?" Sora asked, Donald and Goofy nodded, they were also wondering about that. I already knew, but I didn't say anything.

"Your past endeavors did prevent an immense effusion of Heartless from the great darkness; make no mistake about that." Yen Sid started to explain to the three. "However, the Heartless are darkness made real—and darkness yet lingers in every heart. The Heartless are fewer. But while the darkness exists in a single heart, it will be difficult to eliminate them." Sora, Donald, and Goofy slumped forward in defeat. It all really did seem hopeless to them.

"Gosh, then that must mean if everyone's heart was full of light, them Heartless'd go away!" Goofy started, but I frowned softly. The other two seemed to agree with him, but I had to say something.

"That's impossible for even a single heart to be just full of light. The brighter the light in someone's heart, the deeper the darkness. Will hearts ever attain such a purity?" I asked them, and all of them turned and gave me an upset look. "Hey, don't tell me you guys weren't thinking that. It has got to have crossed your mind at some point."

Yen Sid nodded in my direction, and I felt a little proud of myself. Even Yen Sid had to admit I had a point. Hah! "Rachel does have a point. But if you open the door to the light, the Heartless will fade away." Heeeey, how did he know my name! I swear, that's getting pretty annoying. Will I ever find out?

"Now it is time to speak of the enemies that you will encounter." Yen Sid threw his arm in a direction, and a white light appeared, and suddenly, Donald's look alike appeared, but just an illusion. Haha! Donald squawked in protest, but the illusion of Donald faded and a Heartless appeared.

"If one such as you, Donald, yields to the darkness in their heart, they too will become a Heartless." Ah, I guess that is a good point, and good thing to know. "But you know this." All of us nodded in agreement.

"The Heartless are always lurking and ever seeking to capture new hearts. Never let your guard down! Now then..." He waved his hand again, and a Dusk appeared. Evil things, I hate them. I must have been glaring at it, since Yen Sid chuckled at me. "Ah, I see you already encountered this enemy before you even met Sora and the others." I nodded slightly, then his face turned grim and he turned to the others.

"At times, if someone with a strong heart and will—be they evil or good—becomes a Heartless, the empty shell they leave behind begins to act with a will of its own." The Heartless illusion vanished, leaving the Dusk behind. "An empty vessel whose heart has been stolen away... A spirit that goes on even as its body fades away from existence—for you see-"

"Nobodies do not truly exist at all." I finished for Yen Sid, and Donald looked at me with anger, thinking I disrespected Yen Sid. I made a face at Donald.

"Correct. Nobodies may seem to have feelings, but this is a ruse—they only pretend to have hearts. You must not be deceived!" Yen Sid finished gravely.

"Nobodies..." Sora started. "They don't exist..." I think he must have pitied them for that moment, wondering how it would be like to live like that. Suddenly another flash of light came from beside Sora, and all of us jumped, including myself. Three Dusks appeared from that light.

"Now then...the being you see before you is known as a Dusk." Yep, already knew that, Yen Sid, but I'll just be quiet about it. "They are the most common form of Nobody. But there are others—some larger, some with frightening and unique powers." Again, knew that, so I wasn't even surprised. Kinda sucks knowing everything that was going to be said and happen. The Dusks also disappeared.

"Be vigilant! On your journey, you will meet an alarming number of Dusks. They will all attempt to do you harm. Still, they are nothing but empty shells, destined to return to darkness. But—" He threw his hand out, and another illusion appeared, with three Organization XIII members. Grrr, stupid jerks, met one already.

"The beings you see before you are different. You have already met one, Rachel, so you know of what I speak." Daaah, how did he know I was almost kidnapped! Stupid all knowing sorcerer... I nodded towards him, and Sora looked at me with a questioning gaze and looked like he wanted to say something, but Yen Sid continued his explanation.

"These are powerful Nobodies have formed a group called Organization XIII. It commands the lesser Nobodies. While Heartless act on instinct, Nobodies function in a higher manner. They can think and plan. And it seems they are working together towards a goal."

Yen Sid paused in his speech. "What that goal is, we do not know. But it seems to involve the Chosen One, and they will stop at nothing to kidnap her and use her for whatever they plan." I cringed, and for the first time in a while, I was really scared. Goofy patted my shoulder gently.

"Don't worry, Rachel, we'll protect you!" Goofy stated, smiling widely. I smiled and nodded towards him, before looking back at Yen Sid, waiting for him to continue his speech.

"The King sensed the danger, and journeyed forth to fight it. He found the dark realm's Keyblade, and with it, closed the door. Now he's traveling from world to world, fighting the Heartless as he seeks the answer to the riddle of the Nobodies and Organization XIII." With that, the illusions vanished, and ended Yen Sid's speech. Yay, he's finally done! Sheesh...

"Then I guess we better go find the King first!" Stated Sora, looking at all of us.

"But where could he be?" Donald asked, and crossed his arms over his chest in a pondering stance.

"Well, we won't know 'till we look." I nodded towards Goofy, agreeing with him.

"Yeah. And the King must know where Riku is, 'cause the two of them were together in the realm of darkness when we closed the door. You know, after defeating Ansem." You won't find Riku for a very long time, Sora. Man, I wish I could tell you that, but I know I can't. Darn it, this sucks.

"So, before you go, you will need more suitable traveling clothes. Those look too small for you, Sora." He turned to look at me, nodding in my direction. "And those clothes will offer you no protection while you are fighting Heartless and Nobodies." Bah, I hate to say it, but he does have a point.

"Through there, you'll find three good fairies. If you ask, they'll create appropriate garments for the both of you." As long as they don't put me in a dress or skirt, fine, I'll wear the clothes they make.

"Gawrsh Sora, you sure are growing fast." Stated Goofy, and Donald snickered at Sora. I grinned a little, nudging Sora playfully. He grumbled softly, but smiled sheepishly. So, Sora, Donald, and Goofy made their way through the door to talk to the fairies. I was about to follow them but...

"Hold. I must speak with you." Yen Sid held up his hand, and gestured for me to come back over to him. Drat, so close to escaping! With a heavy sigh I walked back over to Yen Sid and stood in front of his desk.

"I know you seek many answers, but the answers I can offer are few." Yen Sid started gravely, which caused my shoulders to slump forward. "Go ahead and ask your questions, but know I won't be able to answer them all."

I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest, thinking. What should I ask him? Well, I guess I better ask about this Chosen One stuff.

"Well, can you tell me more about this... Chosen One stuff? Donald wasn't very specific about it. All I know is I'm supposed to help Sora seal darkness away forever, and help him open the door to the light. But how can I do this?" I asked him, hoping he will be able to answer my question.

"This is one question I cannot answer." My shoulders slumped with defeat. "Because I do not know the answer myself. However, many years ago I was entrusted to keep a very special book for you, Chosen One." He waved his hand, and a very old, thick book appeared on the desk.

"There is a magical enchantment placed on the book, so no one, but the Chosen One can open it." I perked up immediately; maybe this book can answer my questions. I eagerly picked the book up and opened it, but I was met by white pages. What the...?

"But—as you can see, the pages are blank. It is because the book can sense if you're ready to read what is written in it, or not. The pages will fill, gradually, be sure to check the book for new information whenever you can." I nodded to him; a little mad I couldn't find out more about this... Chosen One stuff right now, but it's a start, right?

"I have a gift for you." A gift, for me? Awww, you shouldn't have Yen Sid! He waved his hand again, and a blue backpack appeared. After seeing the puzzled look on my face, he chuckled at my confusion. "This bag can hold an unlimited amount of items. Also, a few things from your world are in that bag."

I immediately perked up; taking the bag that was suspended in the air and opened it, peering inside. I gasped sharply. Inside, it was like a swirling blue vortex, with various items floating around. Reaching my hand in, I pulled out my MP3 player. Hell yeah! I won't die from boredom, sweet! Place it back in the bag I searched around again.

I pulled out what appeared to be... Oh god, it's my photo album! I opened it and was met with pictures of my Grandparent's. My eyes started to tear up as I turned the pages, seeing more family, friends, and even pictures of my pets. I sniffled, rubbing my eyes and looking up at Yen Sid.

"Thank you..." He simply smiled and nodded in my direction. I placed the album back in the bag. I turned when I heard the door open, and saw Sora step back in the room.

I whistled. "Daaaang, nice clothes, Sora!" Was he blushing, or is it just me?

Yen Sid gestured for me to talk with the fairies. I nodded and ran past Sora and the other two to enter the room. The fairies (I forget their names) looked up in surprise.

"Ohh, I never thought I would see this day!" Exclaimed the fairy in pink as she reached over to gently tug on my arm and pulled me towards the others. Errr, what, to see me?

"How wonderful! You must be here to get new clothes, right?" The fairy in green asked, looking excited. Why was she so excited? All of them were acting a bit weird.

"Well, if you came for clothes, you came to the right place!" The blue exclaimed, then the three started to fight over who was going to design my clothes. Groaning softly, I slapped my forehead. They can never agree on anything!

"Why don't you all work on a design? You know, work together?" I asked them, gaining their attention. The three of them looked at each other and nodded. All three of them moved away and started to whisper to each other. Darn, I can't hear what they are saying. Probably talking about what designs and stuff.

"What are your favorite colors, dear?" The fairy in pink asked me. I blinked in surprise. Wow, they wanted to know my favorite colors? Well, I guess I could tell them.

"Purple, Blue, and Silver." I answered simply. She nodded towards me and they went back to talking. Aaaargh, this was going to take forever! After a few more minutes, they finally seemed to agree.

"Alright, hold still dear!" All of them waved their wands at the same time and lights shot out from them and hit me. A glowing light filled the room and temporarily blinded me. Huh, maybe I should have closed my eyes. I closed my eyes to ward off the rest of the bright lights.

"Oh wow, she looks absolutely wonderful in those clothes, don't you agree?" I was almost afraid to open my eyes, but I did and looked down at myself.

WOW! Oh... WOW! The first thing I noticed was I had black, leather chest piece armor on, and a blue/purple zip up T-shirt with a silver hood on it. (The black leather chest piece is like Auron's, and the shirt over it is like Yuffies.) The shirt and the armor weren't very long, so part of my stomach showed, but I didn't mind.

I noticed I had black shorts on, and they were pretty short, which would make it easier for me to move in when there was a battle. The sides of the shorts had swirls of purple and blue, and had a silver streak going through the colors. Awesome.

Next, my boots. My boots reached to the middle of my calf, and they were black. One side of each boot and either a blue or purple streak running down it, and the top of my shoes and bottom of my shoes were silver. I realized I looked kinda like Yuffie, just the colors were different.

"These clothes... Are so awesome! Thank you all, very much!" I swear if I smiled any wider, my face would have cracked, but I didn't care. I felt pretty darn cool in these clothes.

"Now these clothes aren't just any normal clothes." The pink fairy started, which made me jerk in surprise. What, my clothes are magical?

"They're magical. If you wanted different attire, all you have to simply do is think of what clothes you want, and they will change to whatever you wish. The colors will stay the same, I hope you don't mind." Wow, I was right about them being magical. Sooo if I wanted a coat, all I had to do was simply think what I wanted and it would appear? Cool!

"Oh thank you, I really appreciate this. I don't mind if the colors don't change, I like these colors a lot. Thank you!" I think I made them all very happy, because they were smiling at each other, very pleased with themselves.

"Now you better run along dear, we've already kept you longer then we should have." I nodded towards the green fairy, and I turned to reach for the doorknob, but...

I turned around again, nervously rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm going to give you some advice, so please, remember it for when the time comes. Beware of the crow, for it will bring back an old enemy from distant past." I noticed the odd looks they were giving me. Ok, so I attempted to sound like Yen Sid, but I'm really trying to give them good advice!

"Please be careful!" I bowed to them and left the room. The first thing I noticed when I entered the room was that Sora and the others were waiting for me, but no Yen Sid in sight!

"Uhm... Where did he go?" I asked Sora, a look of confusion on my face. He looked up at me, then his eyes widened with surprise.

"Wow, Rachel! Those clothes look great on you!" Sora exclaimed, catching Donald's and Goofy's attention. They chorused their agreements, which caused me to giggle.

"Thanks! So where did Master Yen Sid go?" I asked. Sora stood up and gestured to what appeared to be a hallway that lead out of the room, and there stood Master Yen Sid.

"He went over there, he asked for us to wait a bit until you came out, since you were taking so long." I huffed angrily at Sora.

"Not my fault! Hehe, they couldn't agree on what design of clothes they wanted for me." He then nodded in understanding, remembering he went through the same thing.

Yen Sid noticed I was done with the fairies, so he gestured us to join him. In the window, suddenly, the Gummi ship rose up from no where and filled the view of the window.

"Hey! It's the Gummi Ship!" Donald exclaimed enthusiastically, and Goofy jumped with joy. All of us ran over to join Yen Sid by the window. Now let me tell you, the Gummi Ship in real life was no means by small. It was LARGE! I grinned with excitement; I always wanted to fly in the Gummi Ship! This was going to be fun!

"So, you guys ready to go?" Sora turned and asked us. Heck, I dunno about the others, but I am ready! All of us stood at attention, even myself, stood up straight and at attention.

"Now, now, just a moment." All of us sagged forward, and I was grumbling under my breath. Grrr... Old geezer. "Because of your previous endeavors, the worlds have returned to their original states. That means the pathways between them have disappeared."

"How do we get around?" Wow Donald, you sound so sullen and even Goofy looked upset.

"Do not fear. If what the King suspected proves true, the worlds have prepared new pathways along which you may travel." Argh, Yen Sid, can you stop blabbering and let us go? Sheesh! "These pathways may be utilized by unlocking special gates. How these gates are opened, I'm afraid I don't know...

"However, the Keyblade will serve as your guide. When a beam of light radiants from the Keyblade, return to the Gummi Ship. Though the worlds may seem far apart and out of reach, they nonetheless remain connected by invisible ties. As do our hearts." Yen Sid finally ended his long speech.

"Our hearts are connected." Sora mumbled softly, but loud enough for all of us to hear. I always wondered if that really was true, but I have a feeling I'll find out!

"That is correct." Yen Sid nodded towards Sora.

"Got it!" Sora stated, with a small grin on his face. Can we go yet? I wanted to get going. Course, Yen Sid wasn't letting us go THAT easily.

"But be warned." Bah, what's with the warnings, Yen Sid? Gosh! "As you proceed... The Heartless and Nobodies will be using their own paths: Corridors of darkness, to travel from world to world.

They may be attempting to link these dark pathways to the gates between the worlds." I glared at the floor.

"That's not fair!" Donald and I exclaimed at the same time. Blinking, we looked at each other. Note to self: Stop doing that! I think Yen Sid found our antics amusing, because he smiled.

"Now then, that is all the information I can give to you. Go forth Sora, Rachel, Donald, and Goofy. Everyone is waiting."

"Okay, let's get going!" Sora nodded to us, grinning slightly. I think, deep inside, he was looking forward to this new adventure. Each of us snapped into attention.

"Master Yen Sid." Donald started, before Goofy interjected.

"We sure do appreciate the help." Goofy said, and each of us saluted Yen Sid, including myself, believe it or not. Sora turned and ran towards the door that will lead up to the Gummi Ship, Donald, Goofy, and I ran after him. Inside, my heart was doing flip-flops. I couldn't wait for our adventure!

As we boarded the ship, I knew Maleficent was going to resurrect really soon, but I brushed that off. And I thought the outside of the Gummi was huge, the inside was large too! Donald and the others showed me around the ship, and Donald gave me a room to where I can sleep in. It was pretty simple room, but it will do.

I got to meet Chip and Dale. I just HAD to hug the little guys! They were so cuuuuute! And funny too. Dale passed out when he saw my birthmark, and Chip was blabbering about a mile a minute. After saying goodbye to them we went up a level to enter the cockpit. There were four seats. Two were in the very front, and two were in the back a bit. I took the very front seat to the left, Sora took the right. The other two sat in back.

We looked at the map that had appeared on screen, and saw that there was only one path way, and only to one world.

"Only one?" Questioned Sora, before he leaned back in his chair.

"That's no good!" Donald mumbled, but we could hear him crystal clear. I knew another pathway would open up soon, so I didn't get down in the dumps.

"Wait! I think it's a world we know!" Goofy stated, leaning forward to get a better look.

"How long will it take us to get there, Donald?" I asked him, looking back to see him.

"Let's see..." He leaned forward to read the panel. "Hmmm... It will take us about 9 hours to get there." Everyone in the cockpit groaned and slumped forward, including myself. I guess it didn't take a few seconds or minutes to reach worlds, like in the game. It takes hours, even days!

"Well, can you set this thing on Autopilot?" I asked curiously. Maybe we can get some food and rest before we enter Hollow Bastion. I know for one thing, I was hungry, and really, really tired.

"Uh, yeah, I'll go ahead and set it now." Donald punched in a few things in the panel infront of him, and the Gummi Ship started to steer itself. Cool!

"Alright! Where is the kitchen on this ship! I'm starving!" I got up, placing a hand on my stomach, hearing it growl.

"You know, I'm pretty hungry too!" Goofy said before standing up. "Let's go, I'll show you where the kitchen is." He walked out of the cockpit and I followed him, the other two right behind me.

After being shown how the machines work and finally getting some food and drink, Sora suggested that everyone go to their respected rooms and get some rest. I totally agreed with Sora about this, I was really tired. So, each of us headed off to their rooms, I got lost once and finally found my room.

The door slid open and let me step inside before closing behind me. Groaning I set my bag down next to the bed, flopping back onto the bed. Wow, has it only been a day I've been to this weird dimension? Feels like it's been ages... I felt a little homesick; I missed my family, friends, and my pets.

I never thought I would be the type to get homesick so easily! I mean, I always wanted adventure, and I always wondered what it would be like if I were in Kingdom Hearts 2! So, here I am. Like I always wished. Guess the saying is true: be careful of what you wish for.

I mentally kicked myself for going into the woods today, but... Even if I didn't, it probably would have happened anyways, while I was at home. And Demyx would probably have threatened to hurt my Grandparent's if I didn't go with him. Jackass, next time I see him, I'm going to hurt him! I mean, sure, he's a cool guy and all, along with Axel, but still...

I need to stop thinking and go to bed. So, with that, I got up and grabbed my pack, looking inside it. Yep, there was some PJ's in there, so I pulled them out. I took my new clothes on and slipped the pajama's on, carefully folding the clothes and setting them on the dresser.

I set my katana besides my things before sliding underneath the covers. I wondered where that katana came from, I mean, it just appeared out of mid air. It was so weird... As quickly as that thought came to mind it quickly left, and I looked out the window, towards the stars.

I just stared at the stars for a while. I like looking at the stars I guess. Because they always look at you and shine. They don't judge you and turn away, taking away the light, they were just... there. With a sigh I clapped my hands together twice, and the lights in the room went out, the only light coming from the twinkling stars in the window.

I rolled over and closed my eyes. I think it took me a while to fall asleep, I couldn't really tell. But soon, I was drifting in blackness of sleep, forgetting about today's events, and the journey ahead.

Even for just a little while, I was free.

**A/N: Whoo! 21 pages this time, and I updated pretty quick, too! I'm on a roll! Anyways, I want to thank my first reviewers: Robinfan and Carriles! I rally appreciate the reviews, and how they were so nice! Good reviews are what will keep me writing! Anyways, until the next update!**


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